Photographic-film pack.



- No. 917,136. f

UNITED sTAirEs rATENr ersten.

ROCHESTER, NEWXOR-K, A CORPORATION Ol NEW YORK.

PHoroGRArH'Ic-FILM PACK.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

l Application filed October 2,'1907. lSerial No, 395,484.

To all Awhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. ROBERTSON, of Rochester, Monroe county, and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic-Film Packs; and-l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of merals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to photography and particularly to the use in photographic cameras of. flat, hexible films as distinguished from roll film, andl it has for its obJect to provide an improved form of light tight container for such films, forming a package therewith which may be safely handled during the successive exposures without recourse to the dark room, my improvements being directed particularly to the light excluding devices and to the means for auto/natically bringing the successive films into the proper focal plane.

To these and other ends the 'invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features -being this specification, and to the reference-nu-- pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawin s: Fi t1ve view of a lign pac cordance with my invention and ready for use. lFig. 2 is a, similar view thereof after the exposures have been made and showing the manner in which the pack is opened.

re 1 is a perspec- -Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section on Fig. 1. Fig. 41s a detail perspective of the follower board. Fig. 5 is a similar view' of the partition member which separates the exposed from the unexposed lms and Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the films with its backing and manipulating device.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The manner in which a pack of this character is inserted in the camera and its general uses will not be described herein as they are well known in the art.

The pack illustrated as an embodiment of my invention comprises a flat Casin 1, preferably formed ofl a single piece o opaque material suoli as heavy paper having its at 2 upon what may be termed its rear wall constructed in ac- Y site broad face with an exposure opening 3 inthe front wall. An extension i thereon forms one end of the package secured by a ap 5 extending wit-hin the casing and by flaps 6 on the' outside and frangible plasters or gummed strips 7.

To the edge of the rear wall S at its opposite end is preferably secured, as by crimping, a metal plate 9 having projecting ears 10 at'either extremity which are attached to' and support one end of a partition member 11 arranged within the casing and dividing it into 4an exposurechamber 1Q adjacent the opening 3 and adark chamber' 13. The exposurechamber is sealed by a spacing' flange 14 at the attached end .of the partition, while at the opposite end the latter is provided with/ a rounded or rolled portion 15 adjacent theend 4 of the 'receptacle` This end wall is covered on its inner side with a strip of pile fabric 16 or similar yielding' material, the hairs or libersv of which engage the roll 15 and form a light seal, at the same time preserving a Acommunicating passage between thetwo chambers. The plate 9 at the opposite end is also fitted with a similar seal 17 to prevent an opening occurring between the ears 10. In opposition thereto, I arrange an additional liOht excluding device which I prefer to forum rom an extension 18 of the material of .the casing which also constitutes the end wall of thelat'ter, being also secured by pasters 27. The extremity or edge of this extension I crease or fold upon itself substantially in the manner shown to form an expanding closure 19 which, by reason of the slight elasticity of the material, yields under contact.

Thevfilms 9.0 in a plurality of separate sheets, are arranged in the exposure chamber 12 and each is mounted upon a backing-21 JOHN A. ROBERTSON, OF RO-OHESTERVNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMN KODAK GO., OF

(Fig. 6) continuous with a manipulatlng Y through the chamber 13 and be i opening and protect-s the films before their use. is provided a follower board 23 which holds the films compact and presents the outer one in the proper focal plane for exposure, that is, coincident with the front wall adjacent the opening, through the yielding pressure of a plurality of resilient arms 24. These Between the films and the partition 86 casing which is desirable in a device such as latter I prefer to vprovide by striking up portions of the partition member yas clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5,' for which reason the latter should be formed of an elastic material, such as'thin sheet steel, which material will also contribute to strengthen,En;a stiien the pack as a whole. Thisgconstiiction at the same time providesa'n opening- 24a in rear of each arm, andas-ithemlatter preferably extend in a slight curve to individually contact the follower at but af single point, these curved portions arcaccominodated within the openingswhen the` arms are at a maximum compression in- 15 duced by filling the chamber 12 to its full ca acity. The free movement thus provi ed for affords greater resiliency than would result if the arms were allowed to be flattened against the partition, besides giving greater capacity to the exposure chamber because the springs are forced within or through the openings 24:a when the film 'y has completely filled the said chamber.

At one end of the follower board isvat- 25 tached an opaque sheet 2 5, preferablyn of thin, smooth, black paper, which is passed over the roll l5 between the latter and .the manipulating tabs 21, one of the functions of which sheet is to form a covering upon the roll offering less friction to the passage ofthe sheetsi l In operation, the protective sheet .nor-H mally covering the exposure opening is first;

withdrawn by means of its projecting.talugA 35 assing over the end 15 and .through 'the' ark chamber 13 which presentsr the* lfirst? film for exposure. After exposure this' lilm is withdrawn in the same manner through the seal 1G to the dark chamber, its backing.-

gage the ears-10 on the plate 9 when it has. reached its-final position, at which time the tab is brought against the edge of the said' plate and torn oli. During these operations the seal 19 is always closely pressed againstthe surface of the tab, as well as the seal 17, as Will be understood from the pregious description. The films are all successively withdrawn in this manner, each in turn exposing another until all occupy the chamber 13 when the pack is ready to be opened for developing, the sheet 25 on the follower board forming a smooth, even covering for the rolled end 15 of the partition to prevent the last i'ilm from catching as it goesover. It Will,be noted that when the chamber 12 is suiciently full 'to cause the arms 24 to project slightly -through the openings into the chamber 13, the latter is empty and .is it is filled the contents of the other are diminished so that the arms return and in no way linterfere with the ci acity of either chamber.' Their range ci) movement is thereby enlarged withnut increasing the size of the sheet 'material creased' or folde being provided with 'shoulders 26 which eiithis Where all parts must be included within the smallest possible compass. The ilms are presented for exposure in a fiat and firm' position'it being desirable to provide four arms as shown, to fnove'the follower uni formly and attain this end.

On the whole, the devicedescribed is neat and compact andmay be manufacturedat aflow cost to perform eliicient service which avaluable consideration, as the pack 1s 'usually destroyed when the contents are ready for development,

I claim as my. invention .f

1. The combination with a casing, of a vpartition member composed of elastic materiai arranged therein forming I exposure and dark chambers respectively within the casing, a follower arranged within one of said chambers and a compression member normally engaging the follower andv com- Lirising a resilient arm struck up from the material ofthe partition member to form an openi in rear thereof, said arml being movable t rough the opening from one chamber to the other.-

2. The combination with a casing provided with a film chamber and with an opening leading from'said chamber to the exterior of the casing and a film manipulating member extending through the opening, .of a -lightexcluding device arrangedadjacent. the opening and* comprising a tongue of u on itself form an exanding closure within the 'opening in yieiding contact with` the sur- I4face of the film manipulating member.

sheet material provided with a lm chamber and with an opening leading from said rliamber to the exterior of the casing, a film manipulating member extending through -sinfupon the material of the casing adja- `cent the openingtherein, saidgextension being creased or folded upon itself to form an expanding closure within the opening in yielding contact with the surface of thefilm inanipulatinfr member. I y

t. In conibination with 'a casing and a partition member therein having a rounded portion at one end and secured to the casing A lin pack comprising a casing of the opening .and an. integral tongue or extenat the other to form-an exposure chamber and a dark chamber communicating with said exposure-chamber, of a iilm'arranged in the exposure chamber, a manipulating device attached thereto and extending over the rounded end of the partition, a follower arranged between the latter and the iilm, and a sheet of smooth liexible material at tached to the follower and extending over the rounded end of the partition beneath the manipulating device.

5. The combination with a casing and a partition member' composed of elastic' material therein having a rounded end andl forming an exposure chamber anda dark chamber communicating with said exposurechamber, Suid partition .being provided with a resilient arm Struck up from the material thereof to form an opening -in rearoi' said" arm, of a film arranged in the exposure 'chatinber7 a manipulatingdevice attached thereto and extending over the rounded end of the partition, :l iollower arranged be'- partition member rigidly 'secured thereto at -one end-to forman exposure chamber and e dark 'chamber Communicating therewith, said partition'consisting-oa single sheet ofj resilient Amaterial provided with. a roil at its I ree end and harving an arm struck up from from one chember'to theother, a film arranged in'the exposure chamber and a Inanipulating device itt-ached theretoand eX- tending over the rounded endA of the parti-.

tion.,I

f XVitnesses: p

- F. iN/IMVVARN, l 0. E. HUTCHINGS.

, its body forming an openingin' rear thereof through Whichsaid-erm isv adapted to pass JoHNgA.4 RoBnRTsoN. p 

